By Divya Godbole | Programme Officer
The first session of the porridge kitchen was held on 8th August, 2023. The kitchen has subsequently been running every week on Tuesdays and will continue to do so in the coming months. It feeds 10 children affected by malnutrition, as well as their mothers, every week. The mothers are also provided with ground maize flour so that the rest of their family also has access to food. The porridge kitchen has provided over 80 meals to our beneficiaries so far.
The programme aims to provide a nutritious and consistent source of food to children affected by malnutrition in Mumias West Sub-County in Kenya. Through The Nasio Trust's outreach efforts undertaken by the charity's community nurse, we have been able to identify those most in need in the local rural community. Children presenting with malnutrition have increased at our medical centre, pointing towards a larger problem that needs to be addressed before medical attention is required. Any children in need identified by the community nurse does not only receive a thorough medical examination and nutritional supplements, but are also now provided with porridge every week through the generosity of donations via GlobalGiving.
Children, and their mothers, are provided with cups of porridge made out of sorghum, millets, and groundnuts that has been fortified with spirulina -- a blue green algae and superfood--at the kitchen. Mothers of the affected children were involved in preparing the porridge along with our staff to ensure they took ownership of the project. The community health nurse and nutritionist also conduct a health talk with the mothers when they are attend the kitchen to increase their awareness of child nutrition, discuss the challenges they face and attempt to find solutions to them.
Children like Joseph, aged 1 year and 2 months, who suffer from acute malnutrition will benefit most from the combined nutrition received through the porridge kitchen, as well as improved health through regular monitoring and health talks. Joseph was found to be suffering from poor nutrition due to his mother's neglect while his father was at work. He was removed from the environment but continues to show signs of malnutrition such as a protruding stomach and sunken eyes. Through Nasio's intervention, he now has access to nutritional porridge.
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